Red’s to open Cape Coral location

October 2, 2013

A well-known Pine Island seafood establishment plans to open a second location in the heart of downtown Cape Coral.

Red's Fresh Seafood House & Tavern will open the former home of River Palm Family Restaurant & Bar and Mr. C's at 850 Lafayette St., sometime in October.

Red's held a job fair on Saturday to begin the process of staffing the new location.

Article Photos

Red’s Fresh Seafood House &?Tavern owners Mary and Bud LoCicero.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Mary LoCicero, co-owner of Red's with her husband, Bud, said people in the Cape were clambering for another Red's.

"There was a location we were looking at that people have come and gone from and, we think we have a good market here for seafood," Mary said.

The new Cape location will be larger than Red's current Pine Island store with 7,100-square-feet of space, seating for more than 200 patrons and 60 parking spaces. It will include a spacious outside sports bar and patio dining.

"This place used to be Mr. C's and it was a fine restaurant during the time we had a place in Sanibel," LoCicero said. "The location can be good business, and you don't want to buy a place at the top of its game, you want a place that needs improvement."

And improve they have been doing. They are painting, restructuring and enhancing the interior space, with Mary painting chairs while being interviewed.

The restaurant will fit in with the downtown's desire to have restaurants within walking distance.

"The reaction has been good. People have walked in and say they used to come here when it was Mr. C's," Mary said. "People know we're here and I think it will work out great."

But the big plus is going to be the jobs it will create. The company held a job fair last week that brought in about 140 potential employees.

Mary said final interviews will be conducted this week.

"We need 36 people just for the front of the house. With the cooking line we'll need about 60," LoCicero said, adding that she will have no problem handling both Red's locations

"We have good people, and me and Bud will be at one of those locations at all times," Mary said.

The LoCiceros have achieved great success, having owned and operated numerous restaurants and seafood markets in Sanibel, Fort Myers and Massachusetts.

Red's opened on Pine Island in 2005 and quickly became a prime destination for seafood. Its menu also offers ribs, steak, chicken, salads, sandwiches, hamburgers and burritos, among other things.

Red's location on Pine Island is at 10880 Stringfellow Road.

Red's is open for dinner seven days a week: Sunday through Thursday, from 4 to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, from 4 to 10 p.m. Reservations are not accepted.